Calibrachoa plant named ‘Sunbelku 3382’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Calibrachoa  plant named ‘Sunbelku 3382’, characterized by its upright to trailing plant habit; vigorous growth habit; freely branching habit; freely flowering habit; long flowering period; relatively large white-colored flowers; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Calibrachoa sp.

Cultivar denomination: ‘SUNBELKU 3382’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofCalibrachoa plant, botanically known as Calibrachoa sp. and hereinafterreferred to by the name ‘Sunbelku 3382’.

The new Calibrachoa plant is a product of a planned breeding programconducted by the Inventor in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan. The objective ofthe breeding program is to develop new trailing and freely branchingCalibrachoa plants with numerous large and attractively colored flowers.

The new Calibrachoa plant originated from a cross-pollination conductedby the Inventors in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan in June, 2007 of aproprietary selection of Calibrachoa sp. identified as code number 8138,not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietaryselection of Calibrachoa sp. identified as code number 4055-12, notpatented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Calibrachoa plant wasdiscovered and selected by the Inventors as a single flowering plantfrom within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlledgreenhouse environment in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan in July, 2008.

Asexual reproduction of the new Calibrachoa plant by vegetative cuttingsin a controlled greenhouse environment in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan sinceJuly, 2008 has shown that the unique features of this new Calibrachoaplant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Calibrachoa have not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may varysomewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperatureand light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Sunbelku 3382’. These characteristicsin combination distinguish ‘Sunbelku 3382’ as a new and distinctCalibrachoa plant:

-   -   1. Upright to trailing plant habit.    -   2. Vigorous growth habit.    -   3. Freely branching habit.    -   4. Freely flowering habit.    -   5. Long flowering period.    -   6. Relatively large white-colored flowers.    -   7. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Calibrachoa can be compared to plants of the femaleparent selection. Plants of the new Calibrachoa differ primarily fromplants of the female parent selection in internode length as plants ofthe new Calibrachoa have shorter internodes than plants of the femaleparent selection.

Plants of the new Calibrachoa can be compared to plants of the maleparent selection. Plants of the new Calibrachoa differ primarily fromplants of the male parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Calibrachoa are more trailing in plant        habit than plants of the male parent selection.    -   2. Plants of the new Calibrachoa have longer internodes than        plants of the male parent selection.

Plants of the new Calibrachoa can also be compared to plants ofCalibrachoa ‘Suncalho’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 21,810. Inside-by-side comparisons conducted in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan, plantsof the new Calibrachoa and ‘Suncalho’ differed primarily in thefollowing characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Calibrachoa were not as compact as plants        of ‘Suncalho’.    -   2. Plants of the new Calibrachoa were more trailing than and not        as mounding as plants of ‘Suncalho’.    -   3. Plants of the new Calibrachoa had longer internodes than        plants of ‘Suncalho’.    -   4. Plants of the new Calibrachoa had smaller leaves than plants        of ‘Suncalho’.    -   5. Plants of the new Calibrachoa were more freely flowering than        plants of ‘Suncalho’.    -   6. Plants of the new Calibrachoa had smaller flowers than plants        of ‘Suncalho’.    -   7. Plants of the new Calibrachoa had shorter peduncles than        plants of ‘Suncalho’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceof the new Calibrachoa plant showing the colors as true as it isreasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type.Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color valuescited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describethe colors of the new Calibrachoa plant.

The photograph at the top of the sheet comprises a side perspective viewof a typical flowering plant of ‘Sunbelku 3382’ grown in a container.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet is a close-up view of atypical flowering plant of ‘Sunbelku 3382’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations, measurementsand values describe plants grown during the summer in 15-cm containersin an outdoor nursery in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan and under culturalpractices typical of commercial Calibrachoa production. During theproduction of the plants, day temperatures averaged 23° C. and nighttemperatures averaged 13° C. Plants were four months old when thephotographs and the description were taken. In the followingdescription, color references are made to The Royal HorticulturalSociety Colour Chart, 2007 Edition, except where general terms ofordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Calibrachoa sp. ‘Sunbelku 3382’.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of            Calibrachoa sp. identified as code number 8138, not            patented.        -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of            Calibrachoa sp. identified as code number 4055-12, not            patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—By vegetative cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About one week at 15° C. to            20° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About three            weeks at 15° C. to 20° C.        -   Root description.—Fibrous; white in color.        -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; medium density.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Initially upright to trailing plant            habit; freely branching habit with numerous lateral branches            developing per plant; pinching enhances lateral branch            development; vigorous growth habit.        -   Plant height.—About 11.5 cm.        -   Plant diameter.—About 51.3 cm.-   Lateral branch description:    -   -   Length.—About 39 cm.        -   Diameter.—About 1.5 mm.        -   Internode length.—About 1.6 cm.        -   Strength.—Strong.        -   Aspect.—Mostly outward.        -   Texture.—Pubescent.        -   Color.—Close to 144B.-   Foliage description:    -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate, simple.        -   Length.—About 3.5 cm.        -   Width.—About 1.3 cm.        -   Shape.—Spatulate.        -   Apex.—Obtuse.        -   Base.—Cuneate.        -   Margin.—Entire.        -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Pubescent.        -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate; reticulate.        -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to 143B.            Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 143C. Fully            expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to 143A; venation,            close to N144A. Fully expanded leaves, lower surface: Close            to 143B; venation, close to 144C.        -   Petiole.—Length: About 4.7 mm. Diameter: About 0.4 mm.            Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Sparsely pubescent.            Color, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 143C.-   Flower description:    -   -   Flower arrangement and habit.—Single salverform flowers            arising from upper leaf axils; freely flowering habit with            usually about 135 flowers developing per plant; flowers face            upright or outwardly.        -   Fragrance.—None detected.        -   Natural flowering season.—Early flowering habit, plants of            the new Calibrachoa initiate and develop flowers about three            to four weeks after planting; long flowering period,            flowering naturally commences during the spring and plants            flower continuously throughout the summer until late autumn            in Japan.        -   Flower longevity.—Individual flowers last about seven to ten            days on the plant; flowers not persistent.        -   Flower diameter.—About 2.9 cm.        -   Flower length (depth).—About 2.8 cm.        -   Throat diameter.—About 8.1 mm.        -   Tube length.—About 1.6 cm.        -   Tube diameter, base.—About 3.2 mm.        -   Flower buds.—Shape: Cylindrical. Length: About 2.2 cm.            Diameter: About 4.3 mm. Color: Close to 1D; venation, close            to N167A.        -   Corolla.—Arrangement: Five petals fused at the base and            opening into a flared trumpet. Petal length from throat:            About 1.1 cm. Petal width: About 1.2 cm. Petal shape:            Roughly spatulate. Petal apex: Rounded with truncate            tendencies. Petal margin: Entire. Petal texture, upper and            lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Throat texture: Smooth,            glabrous. Tube texture: Pubescent. Color: Petal, when            opening, upper and lower surfaces: Close to NN155D. Petal,            fully opened, upper surface: Close to NN155D; venation,            close to N144A. Petal, fully opened, lower surface: Close to            1D; venation, close to 1D. Throat: Close to 1B; venation,            close to N144A. Tube: Close to 1D; venation, close to N144A            and N167A.        -   Calyx.—Arrangement: One star-shaped tubular calyx tube with            five sepals fused at the base. Sepal length: About 5.5 mm to            8.8 mm. Sepal width: About 2.2 mm. Sepal shape: Lanceolate.            Sepal apex: Obtuse. Sepal margin: Entire. Sepal texture,            upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent. Sepal color: Immature            and mature, upper surface: Close to 143C. Immature and            mature, lower surface: Close to 143B. Peduncles: Length:            About 9.1 mm. Diameter: About 0.6 mm. Angle: Mostly            outwardly. Strength: Strong. Texture: Pubescent. Color:            Close to 144B.        -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity: Five per flower.            Stamen length: About 4.7 mm to 8.8 mm. Anther shape:            Ellipsoidal. Anther size: About 1.2 mm by 1.4 mm. Anther            color: Close to 5D. Pollen amount: Moderate. Pollen color:            Close to 4C. Pistils: Quantity: One per flower. Pistil            length: About 8.9 mm. Style color: Close to 144D. Stigma            shape: Transversely ellipsoidal. Stigma color: Close to            144C. Ovary color: Close to 144D.        -   Seeds and fruits.—Seed and fruit development have not been            observed on plants of the new Calibrachoa.-   Garden performance: Plants of the new Calibrachoa have been observed    to have good garden performance and to tolerate wind, rain and    temperatures ranging from about 5° C. to about 35° C.-   Pathogen & pest resistance: Plants of the new Calibrachoa have not    been observed to be resistant to pests and pathogens common to    Calibrachoa plants.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Calibrachoa plant named ‘Sunbelku3382’ as illustrated and described.